Traffic-The Low Spark of High Heel Boys
Traffic-The Low Spark of High Heel Boys
Cover has normal wear and tear for the age. Cover is cut at both upper and lower corners (please read below on cut corners of this vinyl). Cover is graded VG. Record is graded VG. FIRST PRESS!!
The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys is the fifth studio album by English rock band Traffic, released in 1971. It was their first studio album to feature percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah, and the only studio appearance of drummer Jim Gordon and bassist Ric Grech. Grech had previously worked with Traffic singer/multi-instrumentalist Steve Winwood in the short-lived supergroup Blind Faith while Gordon had played with another former Blind Faith member, Eric Clapton, in the similarly short-lived Derek and the Dominos. Drums on the track ‘Rainmaker’ are played by Only Ones drummer Mike Kellie.
As with other Traffic albums, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys featured varied influences, including jazz, folk music and Classical. The name of the album’s title track was suggested by the actor Michael J. Pollard.
The album features the minor hit “Rock & Roll Stew” and the title track, which received heavy FM airplay. This is the only Traffic album to feature two lead vocals by Jim Capaldi (“Light Up or Leave Me Alone” and “Rock & Roll Stew”). His only other lead vocal on a Traffic album was “Dealer” from Mr. Fantasy (1967).
The LP’s front cover is notable for its top right and bottom left corners being clipped, giving the illusion of a three-dimensional cube. On original pressings of the UK and some European versions, the title of both the album and song are shown as ‘The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys’ (with a hyphen) on the record labels.
The album was certified gold less than a year after its release in the United States, and eventually certified platinum in 1996. It was remastered and reissued with one bonus track on 19 March 2002.
It was voted number 625 in Colin Larkin’s All Time Top 1000 Albums 3rd Edition (2000).